Leaning Into The Evenings

--
More from a shoot with Ben. More gorgeous Lynsee and Ryan. More makeup and fussing (ie, styling)by me. And more poetry from Pablo Neruda. I don't know what it is about Ben's photos wanting to be paired with Neruda's work, but they just do. Perhaps because in these shots, as in much of Neruda's love poetry, there is a melancholy glaze over the beauty, adding...dimension. Don't be
 surprised if you eventually see all twenty of Neruda's love poem series in this space--I'm such a hopeless you-know-what.*

--

Twenty Love Poems: 7

Leaning into the evenings

Leaning into the evenings I throw my sad nets

to your ocean eyes.

There my loneliness stretches and burns in the tallest bonfire,

       bonfire,

arms twisting like a drowning man's.

I cast red signals over your absent eyes

which lap like the sea at the lighthouse shore.

You guard only darkness, my distant female,

something the coast of dread emerges from your stare.

Leaning into the evenings I toss my sad nets

to that sea which stirs your ocean eyes.

The night birds peck at the first stars

that twinkle like my soul as I love you.

Night gallops on her shadowy mare

scattering blue wheat stalks over the fields.

-Pablo Neruda

*I'm not actually hopeless, because that would just be pathetic. But I am a romantic.

Beauty And Love Are As Body And Soul

In the name of self care, here's Ryan from a shoot with Ben Pigao. I just helped polish him up, but clearly he didn't need too much to be camera ready. He's an inspiring guy--I don't know anyone who takes better care of him or herself as Ryan. I'm off to Divas in De-Stress, a benefit put on by Jessi Knapp of Bridgetown Society to raise money for the Sexual Assault Resource Center. There's going to be zumba lessons, personal trainers, palm readers, nutritionists and jewelry, as well as live music and yummy food. I'll be there with my makeup chair and skin care, helping beautify and solve those mystifying skin issues. Come by @Large Studios between 11 and 3 and get all the best in self care, plus support a great cause. See you there!

Chicago Urban Prep Poetry Slam

Tonight is Urban Prep's 1st Annual Poetry Slam night, organized and produced by the boys' beloved English teacher Ms. Hamm. Here is the cover of the program, designed by Mr. Essex, Mr. West and Mr. Kennedy, some of Jackie's star students. I'm so sorry to be missing it! She proposed and planned the whole slam, in which some boys will be reciting poems written by published authors and some (round 2) will be reciting their own poetry. Looks like we have some budding spoken word artists on our hands! Mr. Grey will be reciting this (the title is supposed to be uncomfortable--YouTube it) by Jullian Curry and Mr. Jones will be reading this by Lamont Carey. Here is a classic one by Paul Lawrence Dunbar, to be read by Mr. Ricks. I can't wait to read some poetry by the student authors! Good luck guys.

--

Invitation To Love

Come when the nights are bright with stars

        Or when the moon is mellow;

Come when the sun his golden bars

         Drops onthe hay-field yellow.

Come in the twilight soft and gray,

Come in the night or come in the day,

Come, O love, whene'er you may,

         And you are welcome, welcome.

You are sweet, O Love, dear Love,

You are soft as the nesting dove.

Come to my heart and bring it rest

As the bird flies  home to its welcome nest.

Come when my heart is full of grief

         Or when my heart is merry;

Come with the falling of the leaf

         Or with the redd'ning cherry.

Come when the year's first blossom blows,

Come when the summer gleams and glows,

Come with the winter's drifting snows,

         And you are welcome, welcome.

-Paul Lawrence Dunbar

Keep An Ever Curious And Loving Eye On Yourself

Oh my good god I love this.

Shot by Garance Doré during fashion week. I want to crawl right into this outfit and make it my uniform for the rest of spring. I love this too, also from Garance:  "I have a huge admiration for women who have enough perspective of themselves to let their wardrobe evolve throughout each period of their lives. It’s not so much about imposing skirt length, but just keeping an ever curious and loving eye on themselves. The kind that makes life a long and fantastic adventure."
--

And in case you are wondering, I am planning on getting back to posting poetry and my own shoots soon enough. I'm conceptualizing some editorials (Ben thanks for the nudge) and writing, writing, writing.

Go Where The Love Is

--
I was reading the 2011 Spring/Summer issue of AnOther Magazine this morning when I flipped to this Burberry ad and my heart did a little flip. I got that oh-my-gosh-I-have-a-crush drop in my stomach. Over a picture. But look at it! Part of my surprised joy was that the normally vanilla-white monster-brand Burberry finally featured black models in a campagin. 'Bout time! (Last we saw a black model in a Burberry ad was Naomi Campbell ten years ago.) Gorgeous 20-year-old British model mama Jourdan Dunn is here with French-Senegalese model Sacha M'baye, shot by Mario Testino.

Little Miss Sunshine

Wowza Britney looks saucy! As long as someone else is styling her and she gets out of those dang jorts (Britney, I love your jorts), she should be fine. Good styling plus soft fluffy lighting and colors created here by Mario Testino in this month's V magazine equals Britney's (really) Back Bitches. It's about time I got some color on this blog--lighten it up a bit. But this is the last blond I will voluntarily post for a while (except you Kate, your blond is always welcome!) I promise. Oh, and I really am keeping the random celebrities to a minimum. Just let me get some Brit out of my system. Thanks.

Take Me With You Emanuela

Beach beach beach beach beach. Get me there now! And get me into some flowy soft *sheer* fabrics like this one model Emanuela de Paula is wearing in Vogue Brazil January, shot by Jacques Dequeker. My college bestie Alison Nicole just got back from a couple month-long yoga teacher training on the soft magical beaches of Brazil. She's now enroute to the big apple--how's that for some culture shock! I only have a couple more days of gray Portland cloud cover in me before I pack up and head South.

Spring Giddiness

Last Friday I had the honor of doing make up for employees of Dove Lewis Hospital for the Boutiques Unleashed fashion show and auction, produced by Jillian Rabe. As an extreme animal lover, I was in doggie (and kitty and chicken) heaven. Several of my family members and closest friends (plus all my poor Twitter followers) got deliriously happy (and possibly quite boring) updates about the slightest animal happenings that night. Project Runway winner Seth Aaron designed a dress, hat and booties for the alpaca as well the chicken cape. Emma Pellet (shot here by Oblique Foto) rocked the runway in some hot Popina swimwear. Time for spring!

--

Spring

Again, the violet bows to the lily.

Again, the rose is tearing off her gown!

The green ones have come from the other world,

tipsy like the breeze up to some new foolishness.

Again, near the top of the mountain

the anemone's sweet features appear.

The hyacinth speaks formally to the jasmine,

"Peace  be with you." "And peace to you, lad!

Come walk with me in this meadow."

Again, there are sufis everywhere!

The bud is shy, but the wind removes

her veil suddenly, "My friend!:

The Friend is here like water in the stream,

like a lotus on the water.

The narcissus winks at the wisteria,

"Whenever you say."

And the clove to the willow, 'You are the one

I hope for." The willow replies, "Consider

these chambers of mine yours. Welcome!"

The apple, "Orange, why the frown?"

"So that those who mean harm

will not see my beauty."

The ringdove comes asking, "Where,

where is the Friend?"

With one note the nightingale

indicates the rose.

Again, the season of Spring has come

and a spring-source rises under everything,

a mood sliding from the shadows.

Many things must be left unsaid, because it's late,

but whatever conversation we haven't had

tonight, we'll have tomorrow.

-Rumi

Sing Me A Sweet Melody

Lovely Melody and her hoops. Shot by Cohen. Make up by moi. Face painting: joint Melody/Carrie effort. Costumes handmade by Melody. You gotta see this girl in action! She's a spinning, dancing song.

Natalia Vodianova In All Her Nude* Glory

More bb** for upcoming shoots. The ever-beautiful Natalia Vodianova here in Harpers Bazaar Russia, shot by Bruno Barbazan. I've been doing some variation of this brown/light gold/smokey/nude/gloss for my last couple shoots, but the tones and shape of the smokey here feel fresh. Am I speaking in make up jibberish or are you following?

--

*nude glossy lip, that is

**beauty brainstorming

Beauty Brainstorming

Beauty brainstorming for next Sahlia Michelle Jewlery shoot. This time we're heading to the beach, and that's all I'm going to say right now! That, and Ben Pigao is shooting it, and we'll be working with some gorgeous models (and jewels, duh). Okay now that's really all I'm saying. This shot is model Marloes Horst from MiH Jeans 2011, shot by Magnus Klackenstam.